Nut running machines

ABSTRACT

This invention relates to nut runners, particularly for running nuts on to bicycle wheels. Such machines conventionally comprise a running or driving head having a screw-driver blade engageable with the nut to be run and mounted in a telescopic guide sleeve caused to slide under the action of a jack over a support member, along the axis of a spoke placed opposite the blade by means of a step-wise movement of the wheel. The wheel is moved by means of a catch which is operated by a second jack in a direction substantially perpendicular to the movement of the head, which movement is synchronized with the advancing movement of the catch. In accordance with this invention, the catch is provided with means for positioning the blade with respect to a nut on a spoke during the nut running operation.

United States Patent 1 Carminati 1 May 8, 1973 [541 NUT RUNNING MACHINES [76] Inventor: Julien Carminati, 13 Avenue de Thiou, 74 Annecy, France [22] Filed: Dec. 20, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 209,647

[30], Foreign Application Priority Data Jan. 7, I971 France ..71000397 [52] U.S. CI. ..29/200 P, 29/240 [51] Int. Cl ..B23p 19/00, B23p 19/04 [58] Field of Search ..29/200 P, 212 R, 29/240 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,093,894 6/1963 Jurecka .29/240 X 3,647,252 3/1972 Nolin ..29/200 P Hill 1-1 2 Primary ExaminerThomas H. Eager Attorney-Bacon & Thomas [57] ABSTRACT This invention relates to nut runners, particularly for running nuts on to bicycle wheels. Such machines conventionally comprise a running or driving head having a screw-driver blade engageable with the nut to be run and mounted in a telescopic guide sleeve caused to slide under the action of a jack over a support member, along the axis of a spoke placed opposite the blade by means of a stepwise movement of the wheel. The wheel is moved by means of a catch which is operated by a second jack in a direction substantially perpendicular to the movement of the head, which movement is synchronized with the advancing movement of the catch. In accordance with this invention, the catch is provided with means for positioning the blade with respect to a nut on a spoke during the nut running operation.

3 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures NUT RUNNING MACHINES The present invention relates to nut running or driving machines, particularly for running nuts onto wheel spokes, more particularly for bicycles.

A variety of nut running or driving machines is currently available for use in building spoked wheels, more particularly for bicycles, thesemachines comprising a number of runningor driving heads corresponding to the number of spokes of the wheel.

However, these machines have'drawbacks in the case where the factory frequently changes the sizes of the wheels to be spoked. On certain machines, it is necessary to effect adjustment of the screwing-device which is always time-consuming and awkward due to the small distance between the spokes which results from the large number of spokes and the diameter of the wheel rim.

According to another system, machines are used which are suited to only one type of wheel, which necessitates a prohibitive number of machines to cater for a range of wheels, which is not an economic proposition.

The invention is'based on what is believed to be the most favorable solution, which consists in using a single running or driving head which enables all types of wheels to be operated upon with a minimum of adjustment, whatever be the number of spokes or the dimension of the wheels. The spokes being arranged in fives on the. rim, thedifficulty of thissolution tothe problem resides in' the positioning of thenut runner withrespect to the position'of the. spokes.

According tothe present invention, a machine for running the nuts on spokes of wheels comprises a running or driving head provided at its endwith a screw-driver blade mounted in a telescopic guide sleeve" and capable. of sliding under the action of a jack on a support member, along the axis of each spoke facing said blade during a step-wise movement of the wheel by means of a catch operated by a second jack in a direction substantially perpendicular to the movement of said head, which movement is synchronized with the advance movement of the catch, wherein said catch is provided with means for positioning said blade with respect to a nut on a spoke during the running operation.

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will be better understood by a study of the ensuing description referring to several embodiments by way of example and by reference to the relevant accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. I shows a side elevation in partial section of one embodiment of a machine according, to the invention, and

FIG. 2 shows-aisection along the-line 11-" of FIG. 1.

Referring now to the drawings, FIG. I shows a machine for running or driving the nuts on wheel spokes, which machine comprises a support member 1 on which is mounted to slide vertically a tubular member 2 of a member 3 carrying a: running or driving head 4 of known type, more particularly one that is pneumatically operated. Suitable pneumatic devices are well-known in the art. n the upper part of the support member I is secured a rod 5 carrying a piston 6 reciprocable i-n-ajack cylinder 7 connected to the tubular part 2' carrying the head 4, so that the jack 7 drives the head 4 which latter is mounted to slide on the support member 1.

The head 4 includes a rod 8 terminating in a screwdriver blade 9 and arranged in a telescopic guide sleeve 10. In its central part, the rod 8 is mounted in an adjusting member 11 fixed by means of screws 12 to the support 1.

On its lower part, the support 1- is provided with a plate 13 which carries on a perpendicular extension 13a a jack cylinder 14 in which a piston 15 is reciprocable, said piston being securely attached to a rod 16 on which is fixed at one of its ends, a boss 17 having a recess 18 wherein is pivotally mounted a catch plate 19 which is subjected to the action of a leaf spring 20 biassed to hold the said plate 19 against the rim 21 of a cycle wheel 22.

At its end that comes into contact with a nut 23 during the time that the latter is run on the threaded spoke 24, the catch plate 19 has an opening 25 in the shape of a V which ensures positioning thereof.

In accordance with the invention, the catch plate 19 has a bracket 26 having two prongs 26a, 261:, between which can engage the guide sleeve 10 of the screwdriver blade 9 which is thus held in the axis of the nut 23' to be screwed on the spoke 24. The nut 23 is provided' with a screw-driver slot to receive the blade 9.

This device enables the screw-driver blade 9 to be positioned automatically in dependence upon the position of the nut 23.

The machine as shown on the drawing operates in the following manner.

The catch plate 19, being held in contact with the rim 21 of the wheel 22 by the action of the spring 20, is reciprocated by the jack 14 in a horizontal direction, perpendicular to the axis of the rod 8 of the running or driving head.

Duringthis movement, the V-shaped opening 25 of the plate 19 comes into contact with a nut 23 previously started on its spoke 24, when the said plate is in its extreme position on the right of the drawing, then during its return travel to the left, it moves the wheel 22 through an appropriate angle to bring the nut 23 into the tightening position below the screw-driver blade 9, as shown in FIG. 1, the bracket 26 gripping the guide sleeve 10 between its prongs 26a, 26b.

The assembly thus being positioned to bring the screw-driver slot of nut 23 into register with the screwdriver blade 9 in the upper position of the latter, the jack 7 is then operated which lowers the rod 8 of the nut runner and engages the blade 9 in the slot of the nut 23 in order to start the running or driving operation.

The movement of the runner and of the step-by-step advancing means are synchronized to enable the machine to operate automatically. Such synchronizing means may take any-of the well-known forms and since, per se, it forms no part of the invention, it is not further described here.

I claim:

I. In a machine for running or driving nuts onto wheel spokes, more particularly for bicycle wheels, which machine comprises a running or driving head provided at its end with a screw-driver blade mounted in a telescopic guide sleeve .and capable of sliding under the action of a jack over a support member, along the axis of a spoke facing said blade during a 2. A machine according to claim 1, wherein said catch has at its nut-contacting end an opening in the shape of a V.

3. A machine according to claim 2, wherein said catch is provided with atwo-pronged bracket between the prongs of which said telescopic guide sleeve is engageable to be held in the axis of the nut to be run. 

1. In a machine for running or driving nuts onto wheel spokes, more particularly for bicycle wheels, which machine comprises a running or driving head provided at its end with a screw-driver blade mounted in a telescopic guide sleeve and capable of sliding under the action of a jack over a support member, along the axis of a spoke facing said blade during a step-wise movement of the wheel by means of a catch operated by a second jack in a direction substantially perpendicular to that of the movement of said head, which movement is synchronized with the advancing movement of said catch, the improvement which consists in that said catch is provided with means for positioning said blade with respect to a nut on a spoke during the running operation.
 2. A machine according to claim 1, wheRein said catch has at its nut-contacting end an opening in the shape of a V.
 3. A machine according to claim 2, wherein said catch is provided with a two-pronged bracket between the prongs of which said telescopic guide sleeve is engageable to be held in the axis of the nut to be run. 